Captive Audience
by Shirley Jean
Summary: ...The car was moving again, and Roy began to feel warm, sticky blood on the floor of the trunk. He glanced down and saw the blood beginning to pool in the crevices of the trunk floor... ***Our favorite paramedics have gotten themselves into a tricky situation this time...


"Why me? Why is it always me that gets stuck in these situations... with YOU?"

"It's not that bad, We'll get out of this. You'll see."

"Not that bad? Not THAT bad?! _Mmm-kay_. Let's review. First, we get a bogus call to an empty warehouse. Then, we get jumped from behind so they can steal our drug box, get tied up, and put in this car trunk. You are taking up practically all the room, and we are virtually face to face right now!"

"Well, at least it's not the _other_ way… 'cause that would be awkward, and people would talk." The paramedic joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, ha ha! This is amusing to you, isn't it!? And may I add a _giant _thank you for that extra chili dog you decided to eat before we left?!"

"Sorry… You ate one or two as I recall …, OWW! You're crushing me!"

"Heeey…Do you HAVE to put that there?!"

"Sorry man, I thought that was bigger…."

"Hey, maybe you could kick out a tail light or somethin' just move to your right a little…_heeey_! Watch the hands!"

Okay, okay just give me a minute…not like there's a lot of room in here…hey watch it! Stop squirming would ya?"

"You're not…OUCH! the one squished against the rough…OOWWW!... pointy thing!"

"Watch where you're jabbing that _thing_!"

"Alright! Jeeez…touchy!"

After a few well- placed kicks, a pop could be heard as the tail light fell onto the swiftly passing pavement, and some California air floated into the opening. The paramedic tried to re-adjust his foot into the tail-light opening, hoping it could be seen, and that it would give a passersby a reason to call for help. The sound of approaching sirens made the men sigh with relief, but instead of the car pulling over, it sped up, jostling the men around even more than before.

"Hope they're coming for us…"

A moment later, a voice over a police PA boomed orders.

"You… in the blue Ford. Pull over now!"

"Yep, that's us!"

Without warning, the car began to fishtail, as though weaving through traffic. Suddenly, the driver slammed on his brakes, causing the paramedic trapped in the rear of the trunk to be thrown violently into the metal casing, smashing his skull against the unforgiving metal with a sickening thud.

"Johnny?" Roy asked. When he got no response, he reached out the best he could and gently shook his partner.

"Johnny, can you hear me?"

Nothing. The car was moving again, and Roy began to feel warm, sticky blood on the floor of the trunk. He glanced down and saw the blood beginning to pool in the crevices of the trunk floor.

"Come on, Johnny. Wake up and talk to me!" Shaking him a bit harder, Roy swore. The car was old, and practically stripped down to the frame. The hard metal and exposed screws and bolts behind Johnny must've impacted him pretty hard.

"Driver of the Blue Ford…PULL OVER NOW!" The voice demanded again. The driver sped up and began to dodge other vehicles once again.

Suddenly, Roy felt the rear left tire blow out and the car careened off to the side, smashing into another car.

A fraction of a second later, Roy's head met the same fate as his partner's.

E*E*E*E*E

Roy groaned as consciousness returned to him. The first thing he noticed was his pounding headache.

"Hey Roy. You with us?" His wife's soothing voice asked. With some effort, Roy managed to open his eyes, seeing his wife at his bedside.

"Jo…w-what happened? Wha's going on? Johnny…w-where's Johnny?" The monitor behind Roy's bed increased its tempo.

"Whoa, take it easy, sweetheart. Slow down. You've got quite a bump on the head, but Dr. Brackett says you'll be just fine."

"Wait…J-Johnny and I…we were… in the trunk of a car…" Joanne nodded her head encouragingly, silently relieved that her husband was remembering the details of his ordeal.

"The driver…was all over the place when the police caught up, and Johnny…he was hurt pretty bad. I-I need to see him…is he okay?" Joann made work of trying to straighten her husband's bedding in hopes of settling him down.

"He's going to be fine. He's got one nasty concussion and a messed up shoulder, but Dr. Brackett said there's no bleeding or swelling and his skull is intact."

"Is he awake?" Roy persisted. Joanne shook her head.

"No, he's been out this whole time. See?" Joanne motioned to the second bed in the room that Roy hadn't noticed until now. Before his wife could stop him, Roy hastily began to flail in the sheets that she had lovingly straightened, kicking them away, trying to get to his feet.

Roy DeSoto! Just what do you think you're doing!?" Joanne scolded. But her admonition fell on deaf ears. Roy stumbled out of bed, tripping on a bed sheet, nearly pulling out his IV in the process, sending Joanne out into the hallway for some assistance for her uncooperative husband. Roy stumbled over to his partner's bedside, making it as far as the chair before falling into it clumsily.

"Johnny, can you hear me?" Roy asked, trying to rouse his partner. "Com'on, Junior...open your eyes!"

Roy reached out and laid his hand on his partner's stilled form.

"Time to wake up, partner…com'on buddy." Johnny's hand twitched. "That's it, Junior! Rise and shine!"

"Mmmmnnnnn….Go 'way, 'oooyyy." Roy managed a relieved chuckle.

"Come on, Junior. I need you to open your eyes…look at me."

"don' w-wanna. Head huurrzzz…sh-shoulder killin' me."

"I know, Junior. But I gotta make sure you're doing alright."

Nuh-uh. Y-you…p-pain…" Roy looked concerned. He was surprised that Johnny was worried about him.

"I'm okay, Johnny. Just a bump on the head…you took the worst of it…."

"N-no…you… P-pain….a-a-asss…"

Roy straightened in the chair he was sitting in, perplexed. His expression changed abruptly when he put the pieces together.

A round of laughter erupted from the doorway from Joanne and Dixie as they heard the end of the conversation.

A smile crept back onto Roy's face as he recalled their time in the trunk.

His complaining, his nagging, and how Johnny had tried to lighten the mood, and actually see the lighter side of a bad situation, knowing full well that his partner had been just as unhappy and scared as he was. Yet, he still managed to use his propensity to see the glass as 'half full'. He leaned in closer to his best friend.

"I'm sorry, Johnny. I guess I was a bit of a pain in the a- ah, a grouch. I'll make it up to you." John wiggled his finger to bring Roy closer. Roy leaned in to hear what John had to say.

"D-drive s-squad…?" A crooked smile slowly managed to appeared on his best friend's face.

"I guess he cracked his head a lot harder than we thought…" Roy quipped with a straight face.

Everyone laughed as Roy was promptly escorted back to bed.

END


End file.
